Posted on Oct 31, 2014
Why don't officers wear marksmanship badges?
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The day I turned my chevrons in for gold bars I noticed something. All the officers I've ever seen never wore marksmanship badges in dress uniforms. I just assumed they were unauthorized for officers and removed it voluntarily. I honestly never desired to wear the badge (probably because I was only ever a sharpshooter), but I haven't found any documentation specifically preventing officers from wearing them. Do you think officers should wear them?
Officer
Uniforms
Marksmanship
Badges
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 764
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I'm not sure but I do know why 2 Lt. and Majors rank insignia are gold while all others are Silver, that so you can tell them from real Officers. Chills it's NCO humor.
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Marine officers lead by example. Most of us were expert with both pistol and rifle. It ain't braggin' if you can really do it. By the way, we approached physical fitness standards in the same manner. If you couldn't max out the PFT, there must have been something wrong with you.
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Sgt Dale Briggs
I always had a first class pft score , but I could never run under 19 minutes or do more than 14-15 pull-ups. Find out after I'm out I have a mitral valve prolapse, beneign but a leaky heart valve wasn't caught.
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CW4 (Join to see)
Warrant Officers wear the uniform like any other officer, the people that say warrant officer do what they want are just plain wrong. Warrant Officers wearing the uniform incorrect are wrong period
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CW3 Harvey K.
LTC Paul Labrador - No, but I remember a retired Warrant Officer, serving as a civilian employee of the Army, chastising a LTG for asking a question of him that the old Chief had answered on the General's last visit.
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CW2 Carl Swanson
When I graduated from WOCS, our Tacs actually told us about this tradition. Only time I ever wore mine was for the DA photo.
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CW3 Harvey K.
When I was a "wobbly one", a senior WO (who went on to a commission as a CPT and retired as an LTC) advised me of that "officer tradition" of non-wear of marksmanship qualification. My reply was that absent any regulation forbidding it, I would rather honor the revered tradition of my "alma mater" BOS, the USMC, and wear my marksmanship medals with pride.
I heard no further comments from any source about the matter.
I heard no further comments from any source about the matter.
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CPT (Join to see), it's the same reason that commissioned officers do not receive Good Conduct Medals -- the presumption is that our conduct should always be exemplary.
Likewise, it would be unbecoming for a gentleman (or lady) to brag about achieving a mandatory minimal standard.
Likewise, it would be unbecoming for a gentleman (or lady) to brag about achieving a mandatory minimal standard.
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1LT William Clardy
You might consider dialing back the bitterness, SGT Warren Crutcher.
There is always a discrepancy between expectation and reality, but the traditional standard for commissioned officers (even junior ones) is higher than for enlisted with a similar time in service. How many do or don't meet the standard is debatable, but at least in my mind is a different question than whether or not the standard is or should be higher for O-club members.
There is always a discrepancy between expectation and reality, but the traditional standard for commissioned officers (even junior ones) is higher than for enlisted with a similar time in service. How many do or don't meet the standard is debatable, but at least in my mind is a different question than whether or not the standard is or should be higher for O-club members.
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SGT Warren Crutcher
No bitterness here just stating what I have observed from my time in the service. Honestly the "Standard" should be the same across the board. Shouldn't matter if your an Officer, an NCO, or a lower enlisted.
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SGT Warren Crutcher
1LT William Clardy - LOL I was in the service twice. got out the first time in 1986 had a 20 year break in service and got back in back in 2007. The first time I was in everyone was held to the same high standards. There were no Officers standards vs. Enlisted standards. Every service member was held to the highest standards as we as soldiers were representatives of this great nation. 20 years later going back into the Army for the second time, It was a major culture shock. Lack of discipline was rampant on both the Officers and Enlisted. Such lack of disrespect was sickening. I saw Officers treating enlisted like they were no more than a bug under their shoes and I saw enlisted disrespecting officers and it was nothing like the Army I had served in previously.
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With all due respect to some of the other officers writing comments, I believe that if you earned it, wear it. I was an enlisted soldier "before" earning my bars, and I proudly wear everything. Always have, always did, and always will.
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As the Commander of a USAR Marksmanship Unit - 5150th Special Marksmanship Unit - I was proud of my Excellence in Competition (EIC) badges and always wore them. All Officers, NCOs and Enlisted also wore them. We felt it was simply part of the uniform and as a Marksmanship Unit an absolute on our uniform!
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MAJ (Join to see)
Hooah Sir! (President's Hundred, Distinguished Pistol, Distinguished Revolver, Distinguished Rimfire, Silver Interservice Overall, Bronze Rifle EIC)
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I wore mine. But I was enlisted nine years before I was commissioned. So, I had expert pistol, rifle, and M60. I took the machine gun off because it had been quite some time since I fired it, much less qualified on it.
It is my opinion that the reason officers don't wear them is because they are embarrassed.
It is my opinion that the reason officers don't wear them is because they are embarrassed.
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1LT Rich Voss
Wow. Major. I wore mine too, also former draftee/enlisted. My M60, rifle, pistol etc are still on my various (all three) badges. Even tank. They will remain on them in my box of militaria. (Still designing the "shadow box") None of my COs ever said: "why the heck do you have a machine gun tab on that badge" ? I'm not embarrassed in the least to have been a good shot with multiple weapons.
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Marine Corps uniform regulations require Marines to display all decorations and awards to which they are entitled
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LtCol Robert Quinter
Not to bring up a fine point,but Marines do have the option of wearing only their personal awards:
2. When the blue dress "C"/"D" or service "B"/"C" uniforms are worn the
wearing of ribbons on khaki shirts is at the individual's option unless the
commander prescribes that ribbons be worn. If ribbons are worn on these
uniforms, either all ribbons, or personal U.S. decorations with U.S. unit
awards and the Good Conduct Medal, may be worn at the individual's option.
2. When the blue dress "C"/"D" or service "B"/"C" uniforms are worn the
wearing of ribbons on khaki shirts is at the individual's option unless the
commander prescribes that ribbons be worn. If ribbons are worn on these
uniforms, either all ribbons, or personal U.S. decorations with U.S. unit
awards and the Good Conduct Medal, may be worn at the individual's option.
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I know officers don't wear them. But I think they should. Technically, my understanding of Army Regs is that the regulations say if you've earned an award, you're required to wear it... so by choosing not to, wouldn't you be in violation of regulations as an officer? Also, the idea of "I don't wear my IMB because I'm supposed to be leading you, not shooting" doesn't fly with me. It's sort of like telling tall tales. "I'm an expert...I just don't have a way to show it on my uniform. But check out my Call of Duty & MOH scores online, Bruh."
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CW4 Tim Claus
You have the option. Pre-GWOT, I had met officers that had earned many awards, often more than worn with Class B uniforms or informal Class A uniforms. They had a stripped down medal rack that had the basic gimme awards and what awards were significant to them. Only at official formal functions would they wear all awards. Post-Vietnam up to GWOT, someone with a boatload of medals and ribbons was much rarer than now, expect they just did not want to answer all the questions that come along.
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